Digital Cream

Unusually independent games and views

Free online games grow as economy worsens

While others have seen online ad revenues slide, online gaming sites (not to be confused with online gambling sites) saw display advertising views spike 29% in November from a year earlier, according to a report released this morning by research firm ComScore…It’s important to note that the survey does not include data from massively multiplayer online games.

You can see the post here.

Millenials View their Computer as More of an Entertainment Device than their Television

According to a soon-to-be released multinational survey commissioned by Deloitte, three-quarters of Millennials (ages 14 to 25) view the computer as more of an entertainment device than their television. The most eye-opening comparison, says the report, came from Brazil, where consumers spend approximately 9.8 hours a week watching television, but 19.3 hours a week pursuing personal/social interests online. You can see the study here. Thanks to MediaPost for the find.

Youth of the World Choose the Internet

From MediaPost: Awww yeah… come to me, little ones…

TORONTO-BASED NEW PARADIGM, WHICH IS spending $4 million to study the global “Net Generation,” reported that 77% of the world’s online 16- to-29-year-olds would rather live without television than without the Internet. (continued »)

Online games good for teenagers

Teenagers who regularly play online multiplayer games could be benefiting from personal development that does not occur in the ‘real’ world, according to a new study. (continued »)

Gaming is Good For Your Career

Attention gamers: Want to get ahead in your career? According to new IBM research, online videogames can help you become a better corporate leader by fostering skills related to collaboration, self-organization, risk-taking, openness, influence, and communications. These competencies are increasingly being sought by businesses as they compete in the global economy.

Sweatshops for virtual items

This article on sweatshops for virtual items makes the quote:

There’s a world of difference between making sneakers and watching bots fight all day. However, they are underpaid, or as Smooth Criminal puts it, “They get paid dirt. But dirt is good where they live.”

I think it’s all bad, and a sign of how badly exploited so many people are in those parts of our world surrounding very lucky people like us who can live and work with dignity and hope.

And it’s worthwhile to keep in mind that even worse, more dangerous, and more unhealthy exploitation is going on right now to make our clothes, electronic equipment, food, and so on.

A tiny but defensible bright spot is that slowly, very slowly, the world may be becoming a better place in this regard. As horrid as this is today, fifty ago I believe it was much worse. But it is shamefully slow and spotty progress that makes me, for one, feel guilt about doing so little to help. As a far luckier society, do we speed this improvement by making minimum living conditions a requirement for trade with a country? Or do we trust the market to slowly improve their lot as competition for workers creeps upward in the developing world?

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© 2012 Digital Cream

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